Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. press release

Santacruz Silver Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results

2026-05-15

TSX - Toronto Stock Exchange · Corporate Finance

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 15, 2026) - Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. (NASDAQ: SCZM) (TSXV: SCZ) ("Santacruz" or the "Company") reports its financial and operating results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 ("Q1 2026"). The full version of the unaudited Q1 2026 financial statements (the "Financial Statements") and accompanying Management's Discussion and Analysis (the "MD&A") can be viewed on the Company's website at www.santacruzsilver.comor on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. All amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise stated.

Q1 2026 Highlights

Revenuesof $127.5 million, a 81% increase year-over-year. Gross profitof $42.9 million, a 54% increase year-over-year. Net income of $28.5 million, a 201% increase year-over-year. Adjusted EBITDA(1)of $42.6 million, a 55% increase year-over-year. Cash and highly-liquid marketable securities(2)of $64.9 million, a 100% increase year-over-year. Working capitalof $75.9 million, a 47% increase year-over-year. Average realized price per silver ounce sold(1)of $63.30, a 128% increase year-over-year. AISC per silver ounce sold(1)of $31.60, a 76% increase year-over-year. Realized mining margin per silver ounce sold(1)of $31.70, a 221% increase year-over-year. Average realized price per zinc tonne sold(1)of $3,116, a 12% increase year-over year. AISC per zinc tonne sold(1)of $2,729, a 32% increase year-over-year. Realized mining margin per zinc tonne sold(1)of $387, a 46% decrease year-over-year.

1. Cash includes $42.7 million and highly-liquid marketable securities includes $22.2 million, consisting of US treasury notes and bills, of which $15.8 million serves as collateral for short-term borrowings. 2. The Company reports non-GAAP measures, which includes: adjusted EBITDA, average realized price per silver ounce and zinc tonne sold, all-in sustaining cost per ounce of silver and zinc tonne sold (AISC) and realized mining margin per silver ounce and zinc tonne sold. These measures are widely used in the mining industry as a benchmark for performance, but do not have a standardized meaning and may differ from methods used by other companies even though the metrics have the same or similar names. Refer to the section titled "Non-GAAP Measures" in the MD&A for more information.

Arturo Préstamo, Executive Chairman and CEO of Santacruz, commented: "Santacruz delivered a strong start to 2026, with revenue of $127.5 million, gross profit of $42.9 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $42.6 million, representing improvements of 81%, 54%, and 55%, respectively, compared to the same period last year. Combined with our stable AISC this quarter, the stronger silver price environment drove robust margins of $31.70 per silver ounce sold, a 221% increase year-over-year. This reinforces the strength of our cash flow generation across our operations, reflecting both a stronger commodity environment and the operating discipline we have embedded across every asset. It is also important to highlight that after paying $31.5 million in taxes during this first quarter, we ended Q1 2026 with a healthy cash and highly liquid marketable securities position of $64.9 million, providing Santacruz with the financial flexibility to continue funding operational improvements while maintaining a strong treasury position."

Mr. Préstamo continued: "During the quarter, we also introduced a more comprehensive reporting format designed to provide investors with a clearer view of our operating performance and the underlying strength of our business model. The new presentation better reflects Santacruz as a silver and zinc co-product producer, while separately highlighting San Lucas as a margin-based ore sourcing and processing business that supports plant utilization, fixed-cost absorption and operating flexibility. We believe this enhanced reporting framework provides a more complete basis for investors to assess production, costs, margins and cash generation across the Company."

Mr. Préstamo added: "Operationally, the first quarter demonstrated the strength of our diversified asset base and the benefits of our silver and zinc co-product profile. At Bolivar, the recovery of the areas affected by the May 2025 localized water inflow event continues to advance. We remain focused on restoring production while maintaining operating discipline, with Q4 2026 still targeted for Bolivar's full recovery. Across Bolivia, our priorities remain focused on operational stability, cost control and plant performance, with San Lucas continuing to play a strategic role in supporting plant utilization, fixed-cost absorption and margin contribution through third-party ore sourcing."

Mr. Préstamo concluded: "In Mexico, our principal focus remains on improving metallurgical recoveries and concentrate quality at Zimapan, our highest-volume operation. The capital already invested in Zimapan is expected to support continued operating improvements throughout 2026. Across all of our processing plants, we remain focused on improving metallurgical recoveries, generating stronger margins and preserving the flexibility of our integrated operating platform to support long-term value creation for shareholders."

Selected consolidated financial and operating information for Q1 2026, Q4 2025 and Q1 2025 is presented below. All financial information is prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), and all dollar amounts are expressed in thousands of US dollars, except per unit amounts, unless otherwise indicated.

Update to Non-GAAP Performance Measures and Silver/Zinc Equivalent Ounces Metrics

In Q1 2026, the Company updated its non-GAAP performances measures to provide management and readers with useful information to evaluate the performance of the Company. The following section provides a summary of the changes made:

Segregation of mining operations & ore processing: Operational and cost metrics are now presented as either Mining operations or Ore processing operations because the underlying business processes and profitability drivers each type of operation are fundamentally different. Mining operations include the production metrics, revenues and costs from extracting ore from the Company's mineral properties which is then processed and sold in concentrate form. Santacruz's mining operations consist of the Bolivar, Porco, Caballo Blanco and Zimapan mines. Ore processing operations consist of the San Lucas feed sourcing business and includes the production metrics, revenue and costs from purchasing ore from third-party miners which is then processed and sold in concentrate form. Mining operations generate high margins because the input for the final product, metal concentrates, is from ore that is extracted from the Company's mine properties that it owns. Ore processing operations generate significantly lower margins because the ore is purchased from third-party miners and the amount paid for the purchased ore is based upon the ore's metal content and prevailing metal prices at the time of purchase.

Co-product costing methodology:The Company will no longer focus on costs per silver equivalent ounces sold and will now provide costs per actual silver ounce and zinc tonne sold in the period using a co-product cost methodology which allocates costs between each metal. The Santacruz's primary payable metals are silver and zinc, the revenue generated by each metal varies depending on prevailing metal prices but because each metal generates greater than 30% of the total revenues, the Company has concluded that reporting costs as co-products by silver ounce sold and zinc tonne sold is the most appropriate way to assess the performance of its operations. The total tonnes of ore milled in the period generates silver and zinc payable metals for sale, the ratio of payable silver and zinc produced from each tonne milled is used to allocate each period's production costs between silver ounces sold and zinc tonnes sold, which will generate the following metrics: cash cost per silver ounce and zinc tonne sold, all-in sustaining cost ("AISC") per silver ounce and zinc tonne sold and will also provide an average realized price per silver ounce and zinc tonne sold.

By-product credits from secondary metal sales:Santacruz's operations are poly-metallic whereby each tonne of ore milled generates primarily payable ounces of silver and tonnes of zinc but also generates payable tonnes of lead and copper. The combined revenues of lead and copper are incidental to the Company's primary metal production of silver and zinc because they generate less than 10% of total revenues. Lead and copper concentrate is produced primarily to obtain the silver contained within, so the Company has adopted the practice of calculating the net cost of producing an ounce of silver, after deducting revenues gained from incidental by-product production of lead and copper.

Realized mining margin and realized ore processing margin: Santacruz has created two new non-GAAP measures: the realized mining margin and realized ore processing margin. Management believes the margins are an effective way to evaluate the profitability of the Company's operations. The margin is calculated by subtracting the all-in sustaining cost per silver ounce or zinc tonne sold from the average realized price per silver ounce or zinc tonne sold.

Silver equivalent ounces and Zinc equivalent tonnes: Commencing Q1 2026, the Company has modified its production disclosure to include zinc equivalent tonnes produced and has updated the method of calculating silver equivalent ounces produced. The Company considers silver equivalent ("AgEq") ounces and zinc equivalent ("ZnEq") tonnes to be useful production metrics for evaluating its multi-metal production profile, but they should be considered only supplemental to the actual production volumes of silver and zinc produced and sold. The Company will continue to present the silver equivalent ounces produced and zinc equivalent ounces produced for the combined mining and ore processing operations, but will no longer report its costs per silver ounce to focus on the more relevant metrics of cost per payable silver ounce and cost per payable zinc tonne sold instead.

As there are no standardized methods of calculating non-GAAP measures, the Company's methods may differ from those used by others and, accordingly, the Company's use of these measures may not be directly comparable to similarly titled measures used by others. Accordingly, these non-GAAP measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Refer to the Non-GAAP Measures section in the Company's Q1 2026 MD&A for a detailed explanation of the metrics, the methodology used and a reconciliation of these measures to the Company's revenues and operating expenses, as reported in its condensed interim consolidated financial statements which are prepared under IFRS. All the changes made to the non-GAAP measures have been applied retrospectively to comparative periods.

2026 First Quarter Operational Highlights

| Operational Highlights | | 2026-Q1 | | | 2025-Q4 | | | Change Q1 vs Q4 | | | 2026-Q1 | | | 2025-Q1 | | | Change '26-Q1 vs '25-Q1 | | Mining Operations & Ore Processing(1) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Tonnes milled | | 487,777 | | | 506,040 | | | (4%) | | | 487,777 | | | 471,773 | | | 3% | | Silver ounces produced | | 1,341,499 | | | 1,343,607 | | | 0% | | | 1,341,499 | | | 1,590,063 | | | (16%) | | Zinc tonnes produced | | 21,640 | | | 23,846 | | | (9%) | | | 21,640 | | | 20,719 | | | 4% | | Lead tonnes produced | | 2,686 | | | 3,000 | | | (10%) | | | 2,686 | | | 2,718 | | | (1%) | | Copper tonnes produced | | 308 | | | 287 | | | 7% | | | 308 | | | 279 | | | 10% | | Supplemental context metrics | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Silver equivalent produced (ounces) (1) | | 2,281,465 | | | 2,886,207 | | | (21%) | | | 2,281,465 | | | 3,682,011 | | | (38%) | | Zinc equivalent tonnes produced (tonnes) (1) | | 59,370 | | | 49,993 | | | 19% | | | 59,370 | | | 41,407 | | | 43% | | Mining Operations(1) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Tonnes milled | | 393,010 | | | 400,453 | | | (2%) | | | 393,010 | | | 385,078 | | | 2% | | Silver ounces produced | | 1,000,094 | | | 977,007 | | | 2% | | | 1,000,094 | | | 1,295,042 | | | (23%) | | Zinc tonnes produced | | 14,496 | | | 16,117 | | | (10%) | | | 14,496 | | | 14,704 | | | (1%) | | Lead tonnes produced | | 2,084 | | | 2,301 | | | (9%) | | | 2,084 | | | 2,237 | | | (7%) | | Copper tonnes produced | | 308 | | | 287 | | | 7% | | | 308 | | | 279 | | | 10% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Silver ounces sold (payable ounces)(2) | | 871,752 | | | 836,045 | | | 4% | | | 871,752 | | | 1,288,604 | | | (32%) | | Zinc tonnes sold (payable tonnes)(2) | | 12,402 | | | 14,210 | | | (13%) | | | 12,402 | | | 13,254 | | | (6%) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Cash cost of production per tonne milled (3) | | 87.19 | | | 82.97 | | | 5% | | | 87.19 | | | 66.82 | | | 30% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Cash cost per silver ounce sold ($/oz)(3) | | 20.45 | | | 25.30 | | | (19%) | | | 20.45 | | | 12.80 | | | 60% | | Cash cost per zinc tonne sold ($/t)(3) | | 1,976 | | | 2,008 | | | (2%) | | | 1,976 | | | 1,598 | | | 24% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Average realized price per silver ounce sold ($/oz)(3) | | 63.30 | | | 49.93 | | | 27% | | | 63.30 | | | 27.80 | | | 128% | | All-in sustaining cost per silver ounce sold ($/oz)(3) | | 31.60 | | | 36.37 | | | (13%) | | | 31.60 | | | 17.91 | | | 76% | | Realized mining margin per silver ounce sold | | 31.70 | | | 13.56 | | | 134% | | | 31.70 | | | 9.89 | | | 221% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Average realized price per zinc tonne sold ($/t)(3) | | 3,116 | | | 3,359 | | | (7%) | | | 3,116 | | | 2,787 | | | 12% | | All-in sustaining cost per zinc tonne sold ($/t)(3) | | 2,729 | | | 2,655 | | | 3% | | | 2,729 | | | 2,069 | | | 32% | | Realized mining margin per zinc tonne sold (3) | | 387 | | | 704 | | | (45%) | | | 387 | | | 718 | | | (46%) | | Ore Processing(1) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Tonnes milled | | 94,767 | | | 105,587 | | | 10% | | | 94,767 | | | 86,695 | | | 9% | | Silver ounces produced | | 341,405 | | | 366,600 | | | (7%) | | | 341,405 | | | 295,021 | | | 16% | | Zinc tonnes produced | | 7,144 | | | 7,729 | | | (8%) | | | 7,144 | | | 6,015 | | | 19% | | Lead tonnes produced | | 602 | | | 699 | | | (14%) | | | 602 | | | 481 | | | 25% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Silver ounces sold (payable ounces)(2) | | 634,875 | | | 459,062 | | | 38% | | | 634,875 | | | 287,373 | | | 121% | | Zinc tonnes sold (payable tonnes)(2) | | 6,153 | | | 8,272 | | | (26%) | | | 6,153 | | | 3,863 | | | 59% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Realized ore processing margin per silver ounce sold (3) | | 0.65 | | | (10.33 | ) | | (106%) | | | 0.65 | | | 1.02 | | | (36%) | | Realized ore processing margin per zinc tonne sold (3) | | 497 | | | 633 | | | (22%) | | | 497 | | | 1,650 | | | (70%) |

Notes:

(1) Mining operations includes only production from Bolivar, Porco, Caballo Blanco and Zimapan. Ore processing includes only production from San Lucas ore processing business. Readers are cautioned that Bolivar and Porco production figures are presented at 100% however the Company records only its 45% interest in the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of the Illapa business in its consolidated financial statements. The Company reports its segment information on a 100% basis with respect to Bolivar and Porco together with an elimination column representing COMIBOL's 55% interest (refer to segment information note of the condensed interim consolidated financial statements). (2) Silver equivalent ounces and zinc equivalent tonnes produced have been calculated using the period's average metal prices quoted on the London Metal Exchange. The silver and zinc equivalent production is calculated by dividing each metal's price by the price of Silver or Zinc to arrive at their equivalent. Refer to the section titled "Methodology for the Calculation of Silver and Zinc Equivalent Production Figures" in the MD&A for further information. (3) Silver ounces sold (payable) and Zinc tonnes sold (payable) are lower than the volumes produced due to two effects: (i) timing - concentrates produced in a quarter may be shipped and invoiced in a subsequent period; and (ii) commercial terms - payable ounces under offtake agreements are lower than produced ounces due to standard treatment and quality deductions applied by the customer. (4) The Company reports non-GAAP measures, which include: cash cost of production per tonne milled, cash cost per silver ounce and zinc tonne sold, average realized price per silver ounce and zinc tonne sold, all-in sustaining cost per silver ounce, zinc tonne sold, realized mining margin per silver ounce or zinc tonne sold and realized ore processing margin per silver ounce or zinc tonne sold. These measures are widely used in the mining industry as a benchmark for performance, but do not have a standardized meaning and may differ from methods used by other companies even though the metrics have the same or similar names. Refer to the section titled "Non-GAAP Measures" below for further information.

2026 First Quarter Financial Highlights

| Financial Highlights | | 2026-Q1 | | | 2025-Q4 | | | Change Q1 vs Q4 | | | 2026-Q1 | | | 2025-Q1 | | | Change '26-Q1 vs '25-Q1 | | Revenues | | 127,529 | | | 102,784 | | | 24% | | | 127,529 | | | 70,314 | | | 81% | | Gross profit | | 42,869 | | | 36,087 | | | 20% | | | 42,869 | | | 27,859 | | | 54% | | Net income (loss) | | 28,470 | | | (4,550 | ) | | (726%) | | | 28,470 | | | 9,451 | | | 201% | | Net earnings (loss) per share - basic ($/share)(1) | | 0.31 | | | (0.05 | ) | | (720%) | | | 0.31 | | | 0.03 | | | 933% | | Adjusted EBITDA (1) | | 42,568 | | | 30,789 | | | 38% | | | 42,568 | | | 27,516 | | | 55% | | Cash & cash equivalents | | 42,651 | | | 44,267 | | | (4%) | | | 42,651 | | | 32,527 | | | 31% | | Working capital | | 75,901 | | | 63,688 | | | 19% | | | 75,901 | | | 51,733 | | | 47% |

Notes:

(1) On December 10, 2025, the Company consolidated its issued and outstanding common shares on the basis of one post-consolidated common share for every four pre-consolidated common shares. The number of issued and outstanding shares and any per share amounts have been retrospectively restated. (2) The Company reports non-GAAP measures, which includes: Adjusted EBITDA. These measures are widely used in the mining industry as a benchmark for performance, but do not have a standardized meaning and may differ from methods used by other companies even though the metrics have the same or similar names. Refer to the section titled "Non-GAAP Measures" below for further information.

Summary

Q1 2026 vs Q4 2025

On a consolidated basis, Santacruz's mining operations produced 1.0 million ounces of silver in Q1 2026, representing a 2% increase compared with Q4 2025. When including San Lucas's ore processing activities, total silver production was broadly unchanged at 1.3 million ounces. This indicates that the Company maintained stable silver output at the consolidated level, supported by improved performance in certain mining operations, including the continued recovery at Bolivar and stronger silver production at Caballo Blanco, which offset lower silver production at Zimapan and Porco. Zinc production from mining operations decreased by 10% to 14,496 tonnes, while total zinc production, including ore processing, decreased by 9% to 21,640 tonnes. The reduction in zinc production mainly reflected lower zinc output at Zimapan and Caballo Blanco, partially offset by the contribution from other operating areas and ore processing activities.

From a financial contribution perspective, the margin analysis evaluates how consolidated productive performance translates into unit economics by comparing the Average Realized Price for each metal against its respective AISC. For silver, the Average Realized Price increased to $63.30 per ounce, while AISC decreased to $31.60 per ounce. As a result, the realized mining margin per silver ounce sold increased to $31.70 from $13.56 in Q4 2025. This represents a significant improvement in silver unit margins, driven primarily by stronger realized silver prices and lower AISC. For zinc, the Average Realized Price decreased to $3,116 per tonne, while AISC increased to $2,729 per tonne. The resulting realized mining margin per zinc tonne sold was $387, compared with $704 in Q4 2025. Zinc therefore remained positive on a unit-margin basis, although the margin narrowed as the decrease in realized zinc price and the increase in AISC reduced the spread between realized price and cost. Overall, both silver and zinc generated positive consolidated unit margins in Q1 2026, with silver providing the stronger financial contribution based on the spread between realized price and AISC.